Trump says UN should continue, but Board of Peace "might" replace UN

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United Nations should continue because of its potential, but the Board of Peace he proposed "might" replace the organization.

In his address that lasted for nearly two hours at the White House press briefing to mark the first anniversary of his second term, Trump repeatedly criticized the United Nations as being ineffective in ending wars, adding that it should continue to exist because "the potential is so great."

The Board of Peace was originally proposed as part of the U.S.-drafted 20-point peace plan to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and help reconstruct the Gaza Strip.

However, a draft charter of the board -- reportedly attached to the invitation letters to many world leaders and obtained by multiple media outlets -- makes no reference to Gaza. Instead, it outlines a broader vision for the body as a U.S.-controlled organization aimed to help resolve conflicts and wars worldwide, a role the United Nations has played for decades.

"It's a 'Trump United Nations' that ignores the fundamentals of the U.N. charter," Reuters quoted one diplomat as saying. Three other Western diplomats said it appeared likely to undermine the United Nations if it goes ahead.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "believes Member States are free to associate in different groups," Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN chief, said on Sunday in response to a question about the draft U.S. charter for the Board of Peace.